Green technology in warehouse management: how and why?

For the last three years 29 projects certified according to the international environmental standards LEED, BREEAM and DGNB with total area of more than 500 000 sq. m. have appeared on the Russian real estate market. In addition, it is planned that by 2015 the volume of certified commercial areas will exceed 1,500,500 square meters. Over 35% of these commercial areas are industrial real estate objects. To date, 5 industrial facilities in Russia with a total area of 235,000 sq.m have been certified according to the green standards. The volume of industrial premises planned for certification by 2015 will be 800,000 sq.m.

This article provides an overview of the main reasons why it is worth managing warehouses with green technology in mind and also gives readers some practical advice on how to "green" the operation of their own warehouse.

Why energy efficiency?

In 2009, the Russian government set an ambitious target of increasing the energy efficiency of the national economy to 40% by 2020, compared to the 1990 baseline. At the same time, it is important to understand that the cost of operating buildings accounts for up to half of the country's total energy consumption, and significant improvements in the operation of new and existing buildings are required in order to achieve this target. According to the government decision, from the beginning of January 2012, all buildings whose energy consumption will exceed 10,000,000 million roubles must obtain energy passports.

Moreover, according to the order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation from 28.05.2010, goals for increasing energy efficiency of all non-residential buildings by 15% every 5 years have been set. At the same time, the targets were set only for energy consumption of heating and ventilation systems, other energy consumers are currently unregulated in Russia. At present, the system for implementing legislation related to energy efficiency in Russia clearly needs additional control, methodology and monitoring. Nevertheless, all current changes in legislation in the near future may seriously affect the operations of many property owners.

The last motive is the main one for the pioneers of certified industrial parks market. Green technologies in construction and operation of warehouse real estate have long become a well-established trend in the western market, and many major warehouse developers announce the application of environmental certification on all their construction projects. An example of such a developer is ProLogis, which in 2008 announced that all new warehouse facilities will be LEED certified.

The reason for this move is that many international tenants seek to "green" their operations along the entire supply chain, including by renting "green" warehouse space. For Russia, certification and implementation of energy efficient technologies is gradually becoming a hallmark of quality for the real estate industry.

What is a green warehouse?

The energy consumption of industrial buildings differs significantly depending on the type of technology used by tenants. For example, cold warehouses are characterized by high energy consumption, unlike those that do not have strict requirements for temperature conditions. In addition, the presence of small production functions or shopping areas can also increase the energy consumption of a warehouse. For example, production consumes additional energy, but it also provides additional heat, which can reduce a building's need for heat energy. Commercial premises are characterized by excessive lighting and temperature requirements.

Typically, water consumption accounts for a negligible proportion of the cost per square metre of rented space in warehouses compared to office and retail space, but there are usually showers in the administrative and utility areas of high-end warehouses that can increase water consumption in the building. Water consumption for watering the area is generally minimal due to the unpretentious landscaping of the warehouses. In addition, for large storage facilities, local storm water treatment facilities are often provided, which provides additional opportunities for rainwater reuse if a storage tank is provided.

Waste disposal can be a significant part of the operating costs, which provides ample opportunity for separate collection of recyclable materials in this sector. It is very common for international tenants to organize separate waste collection and disposal on their own premises. Waste generated in warehouses and logistics facilities typically includes packaging material and pallets, cardboard and wood. It is also important to note that despite the desire of tenants and owners to separate collection and disposal of recyclables, there are practically no companies in Moscow or St. Petersburg that can take on this problem in a comprehensive manner. Thus, in order for recycled materials to be taken out for free, it is necessary to accumulate about 1 ton of waste.

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